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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stick · club · bear · leaves · kid · charge · fine · bark

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. bear — the animal
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. kid — to tease
  5. kid — child
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. club — for dancing
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. club — a group
  12. fine — all right
  13. charge — electricity
  14. charge — in control
  15. bear — the animal
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. fine — high quality
  18. charge — a price
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. bark — to shout

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com